World Events Today
- The 24 day “Salt March”, led by Mohandas Gandhi, started today in 1930, it was a nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly
- Mauritius gained independence from the United Kingdom today in 1968, it became a republic on the same day in 1992
- The American serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who raped, tortured and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Cook County, Illinois, was convicted today in 1980, he was sentenced to death the following day
Entertainment Events Today
- The cartoon character Dennis the Menace, appeared in comic strip form for the first time today in 1951
- The hit musical Les Miserables opened on Broadway today in 1987, it would run for over 4,000 performances
- The first Hunger Games movie, based on Suzanne Collins’s novel of the same name, premiered today in 2012 in Los Angeles
Family Events Today
- The American actor and voice actor Frank Welker, most famous as the voice of Scooby-Doo, was born today in 1946 in Denver
- Alexander Minto Hughes, better known as the English reggae and ska musician Judge Dread, died today in 1998 aged 52
- The English author Terry Pratchett, best known for his Discworld series of novels, died today in 2015 aged 66
Main Event Today
- Due to the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, SARS, the World Health Organization issued a global alert today in 2003
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Baked Scallops Day